Winds of Change
by Superbun
Summary: Three years after the events of 'How To Train Your Dragon', Hiccup and his now close friend Astrid are on the cusp of adulthood. Their childhood is behind them and they look to the future with hope. However, when a freak storm strands them in a mysterious new land, their relationship takes a new direction...
1. Chapter 1: A Perfect Day

_Many thanks to my beta reader, Sailorstar165!_

**Chapter 1: A Perfect Day**

"This is Berk," Hiccup muttered to himself, staring out his bedroom window as the sun crested over the mountains behind his home "It's about five miles past the end of civilisation, and three miles north of uninhabitable. Any sane person would leave at the first opportunity, but we're Vikings; we have stubbornness issues."

He looked away from the window and to the black dragon curled up beside his bed. "However," he continued, "living here does have its advantages."

Hobbling over to where Toothless lay, he poked the dragon in the side with his false leg. "Come on buddy, time to get up."

Toothless grumbled in his sleep, but otherwise remained stationary.

Hiccup poked Toothless again. "Ugh, you're worse than Stoick after a night at the mead hall," he complained.

Toothless grumbled again, but this time lifted his head from his paws, cracking open one large green eye and fixing Hiccup with a withering stare. An irritated growl rumbled in the dragon's throat.

"And good morning to you too, bud," Hiccup shot back sarcastically, reaching over to scratch the dragon's chin. Instantly the Night Fury's pupils snapped open, and he nuzzled against Hiccup, a pleasurable hum resonating within its chest.

Satisfied that he had compensated Toothless for disturbing his nap, Hiccup withdrew his hand and headed for the door, pausing to grab Toothless's saddle from its peg on the wall. "I'll see you outside, bud," Hiccup called over his shoulder as he left the room.

Toothless grunted in response and dived out the window, wings snapping open as soon as he cleared the building.

Hiccup didn't bother calling out to his father as he descended the stairs into the main room of their house. He knew that his father would have left at dawn to oversee the preparations for the celebrations that evening. Today was the day of the spring equinox, and the whole village was throwing a festival to celebrate the gods and ask them for a good harvest. Hiccup had seen the annual festival many times during his eighteen years of life; however this time it had special significance for him and his friends, as from that day onwards they would finally be considered full adults within the village.

Hiccup paused to grab a loaf of bread from the pantry as he headed past. It was dry and slightly stale but good enough to sate his hunger as he rushed out the door. No sooner had the door slammed shut behind him did Toothless bound up to him, emerald eyes brimming with excitement. Hiccup laughed and scratched his friend's head.

"You ready to go flying bud?" he asked, stepping around the dragon's head to secure the saddle.

Toothless nodded excitedly. With practiced ease, Hiccup swung himself up onto the Night Fury's back, securing his false leg into the stirrup. He paused and took a deep breath, feeling Toothless' muscles flexing beneath him. Hiccup had never been the most physically adept of Vikings, and his injury at the hands—or in this case, claws—of the Green Death had done him no favours in that regard. However, there was one domain where he and his dragon were undisputed masters: in the air, no dragon, tame nor wild, could hope to match him and Toothless.

He felt Toothless shift impatiently beneath him, shaking him from his thoughts. Taking another breath, he crouched low over Toothless' neck before shifting his foot and opening the tail.

Toothless responded instantly, leaping into the air, and surging upwards fast enough to take Hiccup's breath away. Finally, when they were level with the fluffy white clouds that floated through the spring sky, Toothless leveled out. Spreading his wings, he soared on thermals rising from the sun-warmed ground far below. Hiccup reached down and patted Toothless' neck,

"Well done, bud," he chuckled.

As was tradition on the island of Berk, Hiccup had been given the day of the spring equinox off from his chores and was free to do as he wished until the festival in the evening, and Hiccup intended to make the most of the last day of his childhood. Adjusting the tail, he and Toothless banked sideways, angling towards the eastern coast of the island.

With a series of powerful wing strokes, Toothless alighted on the edge of the cliff, overlooking the sea stacks rising from the dark waters below.

"Are you ready for this, bud?" Hiccup asked, relating a hand on his dragon's neck.

Toothless growled an affirmative.

Hiccup leaned forwards, taking a deep breath and readying himself for the jump, when he was interrupted by a draconic call of greeting, which echoed off the cliffs below him. Looking over his left shoulder, he spotted a sky blue Deadly Nadder coming in to land beside them.

On the Nadder's back was the other advantage of living on Berk for Hiccup: Astrid Hofferson.

"Even after all these years, the idea of 'Hiccup the thrill seeker' is still completely alien to me," she said.

"Just as alien as you giving me an actual compliment," Hiccup muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Hiccup?" she asked, a suspicious look in her eyes.

"Oh, nothing," Hiccup lied, "I was just saying how nice the weather was today."

"Right," she grumbled, crossing her arms in frustration.

Since the defeat of the Green Death three years ago, he and Astrid had become good friends, and of all the students at the Berk Dragon Academy, she and Stormfly were by far the most promising. However, that didn't mean that he and Astrid were above some friendly banter from time to time.

"You should join us. It'll be fun." Hiccup gestured to the sea stacks.

"No thanks," Astrid replied. "I don't think my mother would be too pleased if I flew into a cliff and fractured my skull on the morning of the Spring Equinox"

Their relationship wasn't the only thing that had changed over the last three years. The long days of dragon training and riding Toothless had had an effect on Hiccup, and now faint outlines of muscles were visible underneath his pale skin. He was by no means the model of physical fitness, but he had certainly come a long way from the stick insect he'd been before he met Toothless. And while she still had the same lithe, athletic form that he adored, Astrid had changed too. Hiccup couldn't help but notice how the womanly aspects of her figure had developed over the last few years, and the way in which her usual tight-fitting blue vest clung to her body, emphasizing her subtle curves.

"You should put more faith in Stormfly," Hiccup replied. "She's getting almost as good as Toothless."

Astrid raised an eyebrow at the unexpected compliment.

"I said 'almost'," he shot back.

Astrid's eyes narrowed, and Hiccup smiled. He knew that she could never resist a challenge.

"Fine," she growled. "It's a race." She pointed to the furthest stack from the cliff. "First person to that stack wins."

"You're on." Hiccup grinned and nudged Toothless' side with his good leg.

Toothless leapt off the cliff, spiralling headfirst towards the crashing waves. With a rush of wings, and a surprised shriek from her rider, Stormfly followed, hurtling towards the waiting sea, hot on the Night Fury's tail.

Three years ago, Hiccup would have felt a jolt of fear, performing such a dangerous move, but now all he felt was a rush of adrenaline and the thrill of the race. He glanced over his shoulder and locked eyes with Astrid. This was the first part of the challenge: whoever pulled out of their dive first would have less momentum and be at a disadvantage for the first leg of the race.

Hiccup tore his eyes away and focused on the sharp stones at the base of the cliff, rapidly rushing towards them. He pressed himself tight against Toothless' neck, and waited.

They were so close now that Hiccup could hear the crashing of the waves over the rushing of the wind in his ears. Hiccup's foot twitched, and he almost released the tail, but he held his nerve. At last, with a great rushing of air, he heard Stormfly open her wings and pull out of the dive. Immediately, Hiccup extended the tail, and Toothless' wings snapped open, straining to arrest their downwards velocity. At the last possible moment, they pulled out of the dive, shooting across the surface of the sea, leaving a cloud of spray in their wake.

He and Toothless didn't have time to celebrate. Immediately a towering column of rock rushed towards them. Acting purely on instinct, he angled the tail and threw his weight to one side. A heartbeat later, Toothless banked hard left, and the two skimmed past the stack, Toothless' wingtips passing within inches of the rock face. In moments they were faced with another stack. Hiccup felt a slight shift in the angle of Toothless' flight and responded, shifting his weight and adjusting the tail. The pair rolled to the right, narrowly missing another column.

Flying together like this was the time that Hiccup felt closest to his Night Fury. There was no time for verbal communication; both of them acted purely on instinct, rider and dragon in perfect harmony. The pair weaved between the stacks faster than Hiccup could think. Sometimes he would lead Toothless; other times Toothless would lead him. Eventually, they came to a small break in in the stacks, and Hiccup glanced over his shoulder, only to be blinded by a gust of wind as a blue streak shot past them. Somehow, Astrid and Stormfly had found a faster route through the stacks, and were speeding towards the finish line.

"Damnit," Hiccup growled. "We are not being beaten by her, not today. Faster Toothless!"

Hiccup spotted a small opening between two stacks, barely wide enough for Toothless to fit through with his wings folded. At the same time he felt Toothless angle towards the gap.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking bud?" he asked.

Toothless growled an affirmative, beating his wings as fast as he could to pick up speed.

Hiccup pressed himself tighter against Toothless' neck. "I do _not_ want to end up in Valhalla today, you crazy reptile," he muttered.

The rock wall rapidly grew in size until it filled all of Hiccup's vision. At the last possible moment, close enough for Hiccup to make out the moss and lichen clinging to the rock, Toothless pulled in his wings. There was darkness for a moment, and an instant later, they cleared the gap and Toothless' wings shot back out, beating rapidly to regain lost speed. The manoeuvre had left them with a clear run to the final stack, and the pair shot past a rather surprised Astrid and Stormfly to claim victory.

Hiccup whooped and punched the air, while Toothless let out a triumphant bugle. After numerous singed eyebrows, Hiccup had finally managed to curtail his dragon's habit of launching celebratory fireballs, which had always ended up exploding in his face.

Banking lazily to one side, the two friends turned and slowly began to climb back up towards the cliff where they started. Astrid and Stormfly quickly fell in beside them.

"That was some good flying," Hiccup panted. "You nearly had us for a moment there."

"Thanks," Astrid replied, equally out of breath. "That was an insane move you pulled back there. I thought there was no way you could fit through that gap."

Hiccup eyed the long grey scrape marks that ran down Toothless' side. Luckily his contact with the rock walls hadn't pierced the Night Fury's tough hide. "I'm not sure what we did qualifies as 'fitting'."

Astrid laughed, a rare and glorious sound to Hiccup's ears. "These guys are looking pretty tired," she said, looking down at Stormfly. "We should probably let them rest after all that exercise."

"Good idea," Hiccup replied. "You headed to the meadow?"

Astrid nodded, and the two dragons turned and headed inland, towards the mountains at the centre of the island.

About a year after the defeat of the Green Death, Hiccup and Toothless had discovered the meadow, a small, roughly triangular patch of lush grasses and heather, nestled between two peaks. With steep mountainside on two sides, and a sheer cliff on the third, the meadow was completely inaccessible by any means other than dragon, and it was nicely sheltered from the harsh elements and even harsher inhabitants of Berk. In one corner of the meadow, a crystal clear mountain stream trickled down the rocks and formed a small pool, before continuing on its journey towards the sea. While these days most of Berk knew about the cove near Raven Point where Hiccup had hidden Toothless, the location of the meadow was a closely-guarded secret between Hiccup and Astrid.

Toothless landed smoothly at the edge of the meadow, taking a couple of steps to arrest his momentum, before folding his wings to allow Stormfly to land. Hiccup unhooked his prosthetic from the saddle and dismounted Toothless. He looked up to watch Astrid and Stormfly land, while Toothless wandered over to the pool in the corner to drink. Stormfly came in to land similarly to Toothless, touching down at the edge of the meadow. Astrid gracefully hopped down from Stormfly's neck and marched over to Hiccup as the Nadder headed off to join Toothless. Hiccup was absent-mindedly watching the dragons and wasn't prepared when Astrid's fist collided with his stomach.

"Ouch! What was that for?" he groaned.

"That was for attempting that stupid move," she growled. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"Thanks, I didn't know you cared."

"And this," she continued, leaning in close, "is for the most fun I've had in a long time."

Hiccup felt his heart skip a beat as her lips briefly made contact with his cheek, and then she pulled away. With that, she slapped him on the back - a little bit too hard to be entirely friendly - and walked off towards the edge of the cliff.

Hiccup looked back up at the dragons to find Toothless staring back at him, a strange expression on his face. He mouthed a silent 'what?' to his dragon, before turning to follow Astrid.

Hiccup shook his head. Even after eighteen years of living around her, he wasn't sure he'd ever understand what went on in Astrid's head.

Astrid was sitting on the edge of the cliff, staring out to sea, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"What's on your mind?" Hiccup asked, sitting down beside her, a respectful distance between them.

Astrid shifted closer to Hiccup, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"The future," she replied in a half-whisper.

Hiccup forced himself to resist the urge to pull away from the warm mass of nearly adult Viking that was suddenly pressed against him. While he and Astrid were close friends now, that was all that they were, and this was the most intimate they'd been since she kissed him after the battle with the Green Death three years ago.

"This is the last day of our childhood..." Astrid continued, trailing off into a wistful sigh.

Hiccup was silent for a long moment. He knew that the ceremony that night was just a formality, the conclusion of a gradual series of changes in his life that had begun even before he met Toothless. However, the ceremony still brought to mind just how drastic the sum of all those changes was. "And what a childhood it's been," he responded eventually.

"I know," Astrid replied, looking over Hiccup's shoulder at the dragons lounging behind them. "We've been lucky enough to be a part of," she glanced at Hiccup, "and in your case, the cause of, the biggest change in all seven generations of Berk's history."

"It hasn't exactly been the most sheltered upbringing..." Hiccup began, looking down at his false leg, the most prominent example of how he, his friends and his whole world had changed since that fateful night so long ago when he shot down Toothless.

"We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard," Astrid replied. Hiccup smiled, recognising the old saying his father used to use. "Plus," Astrid continued, "You tend to grow up pretty fast when you're your village's only line of defence against Outcast and Dragon attacks."

Hiccup chuckled dryly. "You're right there, although, it hasn't always been always violence and misery." He paused for a moment. "Remember that first Snoggletog after the dragons moved in? When..."

"…When we first found out that dragon eggs explode when they hatch?" Astrid finished.

"Yup, that's the one," Hiccup confirmed, smiling at the shared memory.

"Yeah. To be honest, that wasn't one of my greatest ideas."

"No, no it wasn't." Hiccup Laughed.

"My turn," Astrid said. "Do you remember that time when Fishlegs made Meatlug eat all those rocks, and she started attracting metal towards her?"

"And I ended up dangling by my false leg from Meatlug's stomach, as she flew out over the ocean?"

"Yeah, that's the time," Astrid chuckled.

"I seem to recall being a lot less amused by my predicament at the time," Hiccup grouched.

"I dunno, it looked pretty funny from where I was flying," she shot back.

"Being in mortal peril does tend to dampen one's sense of humor," Hiccup replied. "Although, I have to admit, it was not a situation I expected to end up in when I got up that morning."

"I imagine that happened quite a lot, given some of the things we got up to."

"Yeah, at least once a week," Hiccup replied.

Astrid laughed.

The next few hours were spent enjoying close companionship, reminiscing and laughing about some of the absurd situations they got themselves into over the years.

"Looking back on it all now though," Hiccup paused, "I wouldn't change a thing."

"Even..." Astrid trailed off, looking down at his false leg.

"Even that," Hiccup replied, gesturing to his replacement limb. "It's a part of who I am now. Flying Toothless without it would just feel... wrong. And I know he feels the same way about his tail."

Hiccup felt Astrid move slightly against him. His attention had been so focused on their conversation that he'd almost forgotten that she was there. He looked up. The sun was inching towards the distant horizon, making the sea sparkle like burnished gold. The Spring Equinox festival was set to begin at sunset.

"Anyway," Hiccup continued, "Stoick will probably be looking for me soon. We'd better head back to the village and face our future." He reluctantly separated himself from Astrid and stood up. "Thank you Astrid," Hiccup said. "Today's been good."

"Likewise, Hiccup," she replied. "Whatever our future may bring, I know we'll make it through, we always do." To Hiccup's surprise, she pulled him into a tight embrace and planted another kiss on his cheek before turning away and mounting Stormfly.

"See you tonight, Hiccup!" she called. Stormfly took off, powerful wing beats carrying her and her rider into the Berkian sky.

Hiccup stood there, watching the pair recede into the distance. He was in love with Astrid; he'd known that for a while now. However, after so long being sneered at by her and every other Viking on Berk, he didn't want to risk their newfound friendship by attempting to court her. While she may have been impressed by Toothless three years ago, he knew that aside from being the son of the chief and riding the only Night Fury on Berk, he really didn't have much going for him in the romance department.

He felt Toothless nose him in the side, shaking him from his thoughts. Turning his attention to the Night Fury, he swung himself into the saddle.

"Let's go home, bud," he sighed

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_I'm back!_

_This has been a long time coming, as I wrote this chapter and the second (with my beta reader now, should be posted by this time next week), in one go, and then after finishing it, I was delayed for a few weeks by my search for a beta reader, which, thankfully, this time was successful._

_Anyway, onto the story itself. For those of you familiar with my previous work, this will broadly follow the same style, a multi-chapter story focusing on the relationship between two characters, however, unlike previously, this story will be staying T-rated throughout and will NOT contain any lemons. (Although, I may write an M-rated sex scene as a spin-off from this story at a later date and post it separately if I ever get in the mood to write some smut). _

_Yeah, so a bit of a slow start here, with nothing much happening, just setting the scene and the relationships between the main characters. Please stay tuned for the second chapter next week, when the main plot starts to kick in._

_And, as always, thank you for reading, and whether you liked the story or hated it, please leave a review!_

_~Superbun_

_P.S. Thumbs up to anyone who got the Star Trek: Into Darkness reference. (It's when Hiccup comments about 'fitting')_


	2. Chapter 2: Unknown Destination

_Many thanks to my beta reader, Sailorstar165!_

**Chapter 2: Unknown Destination**

"Come on Hiccup," Stoick said, tugging on Hiccup's tunic. "The son of the chief has to look the best at his coming of age ceremony."

"I know, Dad," Hiccup grumbled. He was wearing a brand new Forrest-green tunic, richly embroidered with intricate, intertwining patterns, as was befitting his family's status. He knew that the village's finest seamstress had spent the last week making it especially for the ceremony

"You're going to be chief one day," Stoick continued. "You need to start looking the part, at least."

"Don't remind me," Hiccup muttered.

Stoick had spent the last ten minutes fussing over his son's appearance. His hair was freshly washed and combed, and he was dressed head-to-toe in brand new fine clothes.

Stoick took a step back and examined his handiwork. "Oh, you'll do," he said. "I'll see you at the great hall." He turned to leave. Glancing back at Toothless he added, "And walk there, don't ride, I don't want you turning up looking all windblown."

"Yes, Dad."

Hiccup heard the door slam and let out a long sigh. His father's relentless fussing had almost been enough to erode the good mood his day with Astrid had built up. Even though dragons weren't allowed in the great hall tonight, even Toothless hadn't escaped the Stoick treatment. He'd been bathed and his scales oiled until he was almost iridescent. Every time he moved, a pattern of reflected firelight danced on the walls of Hiccup's house. And, of course, being the fine example of draconic vanity that he was, Toothless loved every second of it.

Hiccup stared into the fire, absentmindedly scratching Toothless' chin. He let out a long sigh. As much as he tried to ignore it, Stoick was right. Someday he would be asked to step into his father's shoes as chief of the tribe, and it was past time he started taking his future role seriously.

A loud knocking on the front door interrupted Hiccup's thoughts.

"All right, I'm coming!" he called out in response.

He shook his head to clear his mind. Tonight was meant to be a night of celebration and looking to the future with hope.

Hiccup opened the door and his jaw dropped like a stone. For a split second he didn't recognise the woman standing on his doorstep. Then the familiar features clicked into place and he realised it was Astrid, although she looked completely different from how she'd been a few short hours earlier.

The first thing Hiccup noticed was her hair. Gone was her usual braid. Instead it had been combed straight, and it cascaded down her back in a golden waterfall. Next was her clothing. Rather than her usual vest and leggings, she wore a green and white dress that hung down to her ankles. Her neckline was reasonably modest but still managed to show enough skin to get Hiccup's heart pounding. On her neck she wore a simple blue pendant that Hiccup recognised as being crafted from one of Stormfly's scales.

Hiccup realised that he was staring.

"Hi, Astrid." He coughed awkwardly. "You look..."

_Breathtaking. Beautiful. Amazing._

"...Good."

"Real smooth there, Hiccup," she replied. "I can see why the women of Berk are queuing up at your door."

_Why would I care about the others, when the only one that I want is right in front of me?_

"Most Berkian women aren't looking for a husband that they can snap in half with one hand tied behind their back," Hiccup responded dryly, closing the door behind him.

Astrid opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, then stopped. "Come on, we're going to be late," she said at last, looping her arm around Hiccup's and half-leading, half-dragging him towards the great hall.

The great hall was already crowded when Hiccup and Astrid arrived, sounds of music and merriment drifting out of the hall into the cool evening air. The path leading up to hall was lined with dragons belonging to those inside. Among them, Hiccup spotted Meatlug, Hookfang, and Barf and Belch, along with Gobber's dragon, Grump and his father's new dragon, Skullcrusher.

Astrid separated from Hiccup as they passed through the great wooden doors, heading towards the bar that had been set up at the back of the cavernous hall. Hiccup glanced around quickly. Luckily, most of the crowd was too occupied with the celebrations to notice him and Astrid entering arm-in-arm. He did, however, spot Snotlout eying him venomously from across the room. It was no secret on Berk that Snoutlout had been trying to woo the Hofferson's daughter since he first became interested in girls, and Astrid's contempt for his affections was equally well known. Hiccup made a mental note to avoid Snotlout for the next few days.

Sighing, he headed for a table on one side of the room, where Fishlegs was involved in an animated discussion with several younger Vikings.

"Ah, Hiccup!" Fishlegs greeted his friend, clasping an arm around his shoulders. "I was just discussing with Gustav here who would win in a fight between the Green Death and the Screaming Death. Gustav says that..."

Thankfully, at that moment, Fishlegs was interrupted by Stoick's powerful voice ringing out across the hall. "All right everyone, quiet down." A hush quickly fell over the hall. "It's time for the most important part of tonight, where we welcome six young Vikings as full members of the Hooligan tribe, each of which has done more than enough to earn their place among our ranks as full adults."

A round of raucous cheering broke out among the gathered Vikings.

Fishlegs leaned in close to Hiccup. "It appears we did something right in the last three years," he observed.

"That, or if you give a crowd of Vikings enough ale, they'll cheer at anything," Hiccup replied.

When the crowd finally calmed down, Stoick continued, "If the six Vikings ready to become adults could please step forward."

A makeshift stage had been erected against the far wall, and this was where Hiccup's father stood. This was also Hiccup and Fishleg's destination as they threaded through the crowd. Too soon, they reached the front of the crowd and climbed onto the stage. Hiccup took a deep breath, trying vainly to calm his beating heart. He felt more nervous now, looking out over the sea of familiar faces, than he did three years ago, facing down the Green Death. His gaze drifted sideways, over the line of his friends. His eyes briefly met with Astrid's at the far end of the line, and she flashed him a quick smile.

Stoick turned away from the crowd and examined the line of friends for several seconds before turning back to the gathered Vikings.

"In my time as chief, I've stood here and welcomed more groups of young Vikings to the tribe than I care to remember," he began, "and there has never been a group that I have been more proud of, or that have been more deserving of being made full members of the tribe than these six."

Another round of cheering broke out amongst the crowd.

Stoick walked to the end of the line and turned to face Astrid. She knelt to one knee and bowed her head respectfully. A hushed silence fell over the room as Stoick placed his hand on her right shoulder.

"Astrid Hofferson," Stoick said, "you are one of the finest natural axewomen this island has ever known, and your skills on dragonback are almost unmatched. I have little doubt that in a few years you will become one of the fiercest warriors to ever grace this island."

"Thank you, chief," Astrid whispered.

"Astrid," Stoick continued, "do you swear to always obey your chief and to protect your tribe to the best of your ability for as long as you are able?"

The hall was dead silent as everyone waited for her response.

"I do." Her voice was clear and strong in the silent hall.

"Then, as chief, I welcome you as a full member of the Hooligan tribe."

Stoick removed his hand, and Astrid stood to a thunderous round of applause from the crowd.

The crowd quickly quieted as Stoick moved along to the next person in the line.

"Snotlout Jorgenson" he began again, "you have the heart of a true Viking. Your strength and courage have saved the lives of your friends and everyone on Berk numerous times. You will make a fine addition to our ranks."

Hiccup's gaze drifted away from his father and Snotlout, over the sea of faces in front of him. This was finally happening. Ever since he'd first seen the coming of age ceremony as a small boy, he'd wondered what it was like to be up on the stage, although, in recent months he'd begun to dread the coming of the ceremony as a manifestation of the changes happening in his life. In a sudden moment of clarity, Hiccup realised that Astrid had been right earlier: there was no point in dreading the arrival of the future, or trying to cling onto the past. He'd been through a lot to get to this point, and with the support of his friends and his father, he would get through whatever comes next, be that his inevitable ascension to chief of the tribe, or anything else that life threw at him.

"Fishlegs Ingerman, not every Viking needs to have the courage or strength of a dragon to be worthy. Your wit and cunning have helped save this island many times, and that is why you will be a valuable addition to the tribe."

Stoick's words startled Hiccup from his thoughts. With a shock, he realised that he'd missed the twins' ceremonies, and that he was next in line after Fishlegs.

"Fishlegs, do you swear to always obey your chief, and to protect your tribe to the best of your ability for as long as you are able?"

"I do," Fishlegs responded.

"Then, as chief, I welcome you as a full member of the Hooligan tribe."

Fishlegs stood, and once again the crowd applauded.

Then, at last, Stoick stood in front of his son. Hiccup tried to stop himself from shaking as he knelt before his father.

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third," Stoick began, "my son." He hesitated. "If you asked me to make this speech three years ago, I would have been at a loss for what to say. Since then, my son has matured into a fine young Viking." He rested his hand on Hiccup's right shoulder. "Hiccup, three years ago you showed true courage by befriending a dragon, despite knowing the consequences of your actions if you were discovered. Since then, you have demonstrated your courage and selfless nature numerous times, risking your life to protect your friends and the whole island. I have no doubt that you'll make a fine chief someday."

Hiccup noticed tears sparkling at the corners of his father's eyes.

"Thank you, Dad," he whispered.

Stoick took a deep breath to steady himself. "Hiccup," he began, using the altered wording of the rite used exclusively for the sons of chiefs, "do you promise to protect and serve your tribe to the best of your ability for as long as you are able?"

Hiccup took a breath. From this moment on he would be considered an adult. "I do," he replied, struggling to keep his voice from wavering.

"Then, as your father and your chief, I am proud to welcome you as a full member of the Hooligan tribe."

Stoick removed his hand, and Hiccup shakily rose to a thunderous roar from the crowd. Over the noise of the crowd, Hiccup distantly heard a different, distinctly draconic roar, one that he'd recognize anywhere.

_Thank you, bud,_ Hiccup thought.

The noise was suddenly muffled as Stoick grabbed his son and pulled him into a tight bear-hug. Hiccup grimaced as he heard his bones creak. Stoick released him, and the next few minutes were a blur as his friends descended on him. They dragged him off the stage and into the crowd. Moments later someone thrust a mug of foamy liquid into his hand. Somewhere, a band struck up a lively tune.

Sometime later, Hiccup found himself leaning against the cool stone wall of the hall, slowly nursing his drink. Quickly surveying the hall, he picked out his friends. Astrid was at the bar at the far end of the hall, and he suppressed a prickle of irritation as he watched Snotlout sidle up to her. Looking away, Hiccup spotted Tuffnut dancing with one of the younger girls from the village, and to his surprise, he spotted Ruffnut and Fishlegs dancing together a short distance away. Hiccup wasn't sure which one of them looked more surprised by this development. Regardless, they both seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Hiccup took another swig of his drink. He didn't mind being left out of the celebrations. He was happy to see that his friends were having fun. Anyway, his false leg was hardly conducive to the energetic style of dancing favoured by most Vikings. Stepping away from the wall, he turned and headed out into the chill night air. Several pairs of draconic eyes watched him as he descended the steps, reflecting the light from the braziers that flanked the doors.

Hiccup quickly picked out Toothless from the dragons lining the path and made his way over. The Night Fury raised his head from his paws and made an enquiring noise as his friend approached.

"You all right, bud?" Hiccup asked, scratching under his friend's chin with his free hand. Toothless curiously sniffed at the mug in Hiccup's hand. Then, without warning he snatched it and tipped his head back, downing the mug's remaining contents in a single gulp. Toothless' eyes widened suddenly as the liquid hit his throat, then made a pleasurable humming sound.

"You like that, do you bud?" Hiccup laughed, grabbing the mug from between his dragon's teeth.

"Not enjoying the celebrations?" a voice asked behind him.

Hiccup turned around to see Gobber standing a short distance away.

"The whole 'drunken revelry' thing really doesn't appeal to me. You'll see my point of view in the morning," Hiccup replied. "Plus," he continued, gesturing to his false leg, "this thing really wasn't built for dancing."

Gobber draped an arm around his apprentice's shoulder. "You of all people, Hiccup, should know that it's only a disability if you decide to let it. Tonight is meant to be fun. Now, why don't you go back in there and ask Astrid for a dance?"

"Wha-? I-" Hiccup stammered.

"I may be going deaf, but I'm not blind you know," Gobber replied. "She likes you, but she's not going to wait forever for you to build up your courage."

Hiccup sighed, looking down at his empty mug and wishing it still contained ale. "You're not going to let me get out of this, are you?" he asked, defeated.

"Not a chance!" Gobber responded, giving Hiccup a light shove towards the great hall. "Now go get 'er!"

Hiccup shook his head and sighed again as he crossed the threshold of the Great Hall. This was almost certain to be an embarrassing disaster, but he didn't want to let Gobber down, and Astrid's actions towards him earlier gave him a small sliver hope.

Glancing around, he couldn't spot either Astrid or Snotlout, and he felt the same prickle of irritation from earlier. _Let's not jump to conclusions_, he thought. _There's probably a perfectly reasonable explanation for their absence..._

Shrugging, Hiccup threaded his way through the crowd towards the bar at the far end of the room.

The bar was relatively quiet when Hiccup arrived. He took a place at one end of the bar and waited to be served. The musicians came to the end of the song they were playing, and in the brief lull that followed Hiccup heard a small noise nearby. He ignored it, thinking it was one of the Terrible Terrors that flitted between the rafters high above his head. Turning his attention back to the bar, Hiccup heard it again, a muffled feminine gasp, coming from the nearby storeroom. Cursing his curiosity, and with a mounting sense of dread, Hiccup left his mug on the bar and followed the sound.

The storeroom was actually a large alcove set off from the main hall, separated from it by a narrow archway. Inside were rows of shelves, stacked to the ceiling with barrels of ale. Just inside the alcove, hidden from view from the rest of hall, was the image that haunted Hiccup's nightmares. Snotlout had pushed Astrid up against one of the shelves, his lips were on hers, and his hands on her hips. Hers were buried in his short black hair. Hiccup tore his eyes away, but couldn't stop the pained noise that escaped his lips.

The noise alerted the pair to Hiccup's presence. With a grunt, Astrid shoved Snotlout away from her. Snotlout looked at her surprised, then turned around and saw Hiccup.

"Oh. This is awkward," he said, before quickly making himself scarce.

Part of Hiccup wanted to chase Snotlout down and hurt him for what he did, but he knew that was foolish. He had no special claim on her. Who Astrid decided to be with was her business alone. Instead he stood, frozen in place as his dreams shattered around him.

Eventually, Astrid broke their silence. "Hiccup..." she began, "I- I didn't..."

Hiccup didn't respond. What could he possibly say? The sense of betrayal he felt, whether justified or not, cut him deeper than the wound that had claimed his leg.

Astrid tried again. "Hi- Hiccup..." she stammered.

Hiccup couldn't take it anymore. Tears welling up in his eyes, he turned and ran, running to the one creature he knew would always comfort him: Toothless.

Hiccup knew what he was doing was childish, but he didn't care, he felt that if he stood there looking at her any longer, he would have fallen apart completely. Hiccup blindly shoved people out of his way as he rushed to the door, tears streaming down his face. Distantly, he was aware of the musicians abruptly stopping, and the party becoming eerily silent as they watched his progress, but all he was focused on was his desire to get away. Away from her, away from the hurt in his chest.

* * *

Toothless was on his feet when Hiccup stumbled out of the great hall, growling, hackles raised, sensing that his friend was upset. If somebody had hurt his rider, he was going to make them pay.

Hiccup rushed over to him and scrambled onto his back, opening the tail as soon as his false leg was locked into place. Toothless looked back at him questioningly. He couldn't smell blood, and as far as he could tell Hiccup wasn't injured, but something was clearly wrong with his rider.

"Away, Toothless," Hiccup gasped. "Anywhere, just away from here."

Toothless crouched down, bunching his muscles and spreading his wings. Then, in one moment, he brought his wings down and leapt into the air. Swiftly beating his powerful wings, he rose into the night sky.

As they finally left the ground, something seemed to give out within Hiccup, and Toothless felt him slump against his neck, sobbing softly. Acting on instinct, he felt himself turn northwest and head out over the ocean, his attention focused on the young man slumped on his back. He made a soft, crooning noise in his throat and angled his head upwards, gently brushing one of his 'ears' against his broken rider's body, providing what little comfort he could as his wings carried them towards an unknown destination.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_Before I forget it, thanks to 'Beanclam' on DeviantArt for the cover image!_

_And thus ends the second chapter of Winds of Change, and we have our first major plot point. How will Hiccup respond to this? What were Astrid's motivations? How will this affect their relationship? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out the answer to some of these questions and maybe more! (Honestly, I have no idea, as I haven't written the next chapter yet :P)_

_Seriously though, as I mentioned last time, I kind of wrote the first to chapters of this in a big 6,000 word splurge, then decided to split it into two after the fact, so don't expect weekly updates like this from this story. It's likely going to be at least a couple of weeks before I can get the next chapter out to you guys._

_A bit of interesting trivia before you go: That little bit at the end from Toothless' perspective was originally planned to still be from Hiccup's perspective. But as I was reworking the scene it accidentally ended up sounding like it was from Toothless' perspective, I realised that it kind of worked, and went with it._

_Anyway, As always, thank you for reading and, whether you liked or hated the story, please leave a review!  
~Superbun_


	3. Chapter 3: Winds of Change

_Many thanks to my beta reader, Sailorstar165!_

**Chapter 3: Winds of Change**

Astrid Hofferson felt terrible. Her head was pounding, and her mouth felt drier than Stormfly's scales. To make matters worse, her head swam whenever she moved. Every few steps she had to pause and lean against the wall of her bedroom, and wait for her head to stop spinning before she could continue. Eventually, leaning heavily against the wall, she managed to stumble to her window and throw open the wooden shutters, wincing as the harsh sunlight stabbed at her sensitive retinas. Immediately, Stormfly's head was up at the window, a concerned rumbling in her throat.

"I'll be fine, girl," she croaked, reaching out to pat the Nadder's cheek reassuringly. "It's nothing that a good meal and some fresh air can't fix."

While that may have been true of her physical ailments, she knew that the pain in her chest would require significantly more effort to cure.

She rested her weight against the windowsill and mentally reviewed the events of the previous night. Her memory of the celebrations were hazy at best: she remembered being on the stage, being welcomed into the tribe by Stoick, and then the next event that stuck in her mind was when Snotlout sidled up to her at the bar.

* * *

_"You're wasting your time with Hiccup, you know," he said, sliding in close to her, and placing a hand on her thigh._

_Astrid felt her breathing quicken at his touch._

_"He's completely clueless about how you feel," Snoutlout continued. "You'd be far better off with somebody like me, who understands a girl's needs."_

_Any other day Astrid would have broken his fingers for daring to touch her like that, but something caused her to stay her hand. She wasn't sure what caused her sudden change in reaction. Maybe it was the rush of excitement that his touch elicited, or his subtle masculine musk—a heady cocktail of sweat and tanned leather—that washed over her when he stepped in close, or maybe it was just the pleasant light-headedness induced by the alcohol in her system._

_"What do you mean?" she asked, breathlessly._

_If Snotlout felt any surprise at her sudden change of heart towards him, he didn't show it. Smoothly, he hooked a nearby stool with his foot and sat down next to her, close enough that Astrid could feel the heat radiating from his body._

_"What I mean is," Snotlout replied, "tonight is meant to be a celebration of our passing into adulthood." He spoke with a slight husky edge to his voice that sent small shivers of excitement down Astrid's spine. "And where's Hiccup now?" Snotlout continued. "Rather than spending time with you, he chooses to dote on his pet dragon."_

_Astrid briefly considered why he would care so much about Hiccup's whereabouts. Not finding an answer, she dismissed the thought, filing it away to deal with later._

_"Hiccup and Toothless have always been close. It's only natural that he would want to spend some time with his best friend tonight."_

_"It does make you think, though," Snotlout answered. "How many times is he going to use Toothless as an excuse to avoid spending time with you?"_

_Astrid felt a prickle of anger bubble up within her. She reached down and gripped Snotlout's fingers tightly enough to cause him to wince in pain. "Watch what you say about Hiccup," she growled under her breath. "He's a far better man than you'll ever be."_

_Snotlout yanked his hand from Astrid's grip. "Woah there girl, No need to break my hand. I meant no disrespect to our future leader."_

_"You have a funny way of showing it," Astrid muttered._

_"I'm sure Hiccup will eventually work up the courage to court you," Snotlout replied, punctuating his statement by gingerly returning his hand to her thigh, "but until then, why deny yourself the chance to have some fun now?"_

_Astrid tried to ignore Snotlout's earlier words, but the seeds of doubt had already been planted, undermining her defences as her rational mind warred with the churning emotions in her gut._

_He gently caressed her thigh, causing her breath to catch in her throat._

_Heart pounding in her ears, she placed her hand over Snotlout's._

_"Why don't you show me just how well you understand my 'needs'," she whispered, trying to make her voice as seductive as possible. _

_The shock on Snotlout's face at her sudden response to his advances was obvious. However, he quickly recovered and slipped an arm around her waist. "Let's take this somewhere more private," he replied in a husky whisper._

_Astrid wondered briefly what had happened to her that night. She had never been this forward with a man before, especially not with Snotlout. However her mind found it difficult to focus on anything other than the feeling of Snotlout's arm around her, and his scent washing over her, as he gently lead her towards the nearby storage alcove. She felt a small pang of guilt as they passed through the archway, but it was quickly swept away by her mounting anticipation and excitement._

_She was abruptly brought back into the moment as Snotlout grabbed her by the hips and shoved her against a set of shelves, drawing a small high-pitched gasp from her lips._

_Suddenly, whatever had been clouding her mind since Snotlout approached cleared, and she was struck by a wave of apprehension. "Maybe we sh-" she began, but then Snotlout's lips were on hers. The prickle of guilt from earlier returned with the force of a tidal wave. She floundered for a moment, then shoved Snotlout away, but it was too late, Hiccup was there and the damage had been done._

* * *

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!" Astrid growled, clenching her fists against the windowsill. _Why didn't I just tell him to go away!?_

She left the party shortly after that. Her exit wasn't quite as dramatic as Hiccup's, instead she slipped out quietly, flew home with Stormfly and locked herself in her bedroom.

Astrid wasn't stupid. While their kiss after the battle with the Green Death had been an impulsive move on her behalf, it had been driven by her relief at seeing Hiccup alive. Since then, she'd spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the direction that their relationship might eventually go. She knew that Hiccup liked her—that was obvious to anyone that saw them together—and she guessed that she liked him back. He wasn't the most physically impressive of Vikings, but his compassionate and selfless heart more than made up for it in Astrid's eyes.

She rested her head in her hands. The worse part of this whole mess—beyond the mere fact that she may have irreparably damaged her relationship with her closest friend—was the sense that she betrayed herself. Back when she first considered the possibility of a romantic relationship with Hiccup, she knew that he wasn't going to be as forward with her as other Vikings would be. It was part of what made Hiccup who he was, and why she liked him in the first place.

What pained her just as much as the thought of losing Hiccup was that all her resolutions about him had been completely broken in such a short time, which left her questioning everything she thought she knew about herself.

Astrid felt Stormfly gently nudge her arm, shaking her from her thoughts. The sun was already high in the sky; Stormfly would have been expecting her morning feed several hours ago.

"Yes, you're right, girl," Astrid replied, talking more to herself than the dragon, "I'm not going to solve any of my problems by sitting up here moping about them."

Closing the shutters, Astrid roughly tugged her unkempt hair back into its usual braid and exchanged her nightclothes for her regular attire. Heading downstairs, she retrieved a couple of chickens from the pantry and tossed them out to Stormfly before heading to the kitchen to fix her own breakfast.

A short time later, Astrid was striding purposely up the path towards Hiccup's house, Stormfly padding along behind her. A chill wind blew across the open grassland and she wrapped her arms around herself. An ominous, dark grey storm cloud was blowing in off the western sea, and the temperature had already dropped significantly from the previous day. Quickening her pace, she hurried up the path and knocked on Hiccup's front door.

To her surprise, Stoick answered the door. He was still wearing his ceremonial clothing from the night before, and judging by the dark rings around his eyes, he hadn't slept since the festival.

"Astrid! Have you seen Hiccup anywhere?"

"No, I came here looking for him."

Stoick sighed, resting his head in his hands for a moment before continuing. "Hiccup didn't come home last night," he explained. "Nobody's seen him since he took off at the festival."

Astrid silently cursed. Thinking quickly, she turned towards Stormfly. "Don't worry chief. He can't have gotten far. I'll get the other riders and we'll fly a search pattern, starting from-"

Stoick stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "No Astrid," he said. "My son—and your business with him—will have to wait. I need you and the riders to help gather the animals into the Great Hall."

She shrugged off his hand. "Get the others to do that. I need to find Hiccup."

"No, Astrid," he repeated firmly. "I don't know what happened between you and Hiccup last night, but you swore to protect the tribe. Which means that sometimes you have to put the needs of the tribe ahead of your own." He paused, then added in a gentler tone, "I don't like it any more than you, but for the moment, Hiccup will have to fend for himself."

Astrid sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, Stoick was right.

"Is the storm really as bad as you think?" she asked, looking out to the brooding clouds on the western horizon.

"I don't know," he admitted. "We've never had a storm this bad this late in the season. We're expecting the worst and taking precautions appropriately."

"I'll make sure that we get the animals safely into the great hall," she said, mounting Stormfly.

"Thank you, Astrid," Stoick replied. Resting a hand on Stormfly's flank, he added, "Don't worry too much about Hiccup. As long as he's with Toothless, he's safe."

"Thank you, Chief," Astrid responded quietly.

Stoick stepped back as Stormfly spread her wings. Astrid felt the Nadder's muscles tense beneath her, and she tightened her grip on the saddle. In a single movement Stormfly brought her wings down as her legs launched them skyward. A series of powerful wing beats later, they were rising into the Berk sky, turning towards the Dragon Academy without any prompting from Astrid.

Normally this early the morning after the spring equinox, Berk would appear deserted. Today, however, the village was bustling with activity. A long line of villagers were transporting vital supplies into the Great Hall, while yet more villagers worked on boarding up windows and making last-minute repairs to their homes, doing what they could to help the village weather the oncoming storm.

When they arrived, the Dragon Academy was a hive of activity. The old arena's cage had been winched up to the rock overhang above, allowing the dragons and riders to come and go more easily. From a distance, it looked like every dragon and rider on Berk was out today, running errands across the island to prepare for the storm. Stormfly banked lazily over the arena, and Astrid took the time to pick out her friends, guiding Stormfly down to land on the rim nearby.

Her gaze met Snoutlout's momentarily as they flew overhead, and he quickly looked away. She suppressed a wave of nausea. Now was not the time for petty, personal disagreements. The village needed them.

Snotlout made his way towards her as she dropped down to the floor of the arena. "Hey Astrid," he began, unsure of himself, "about last night..."

Astrid ignored him, marching straight past him to the rest of the group. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and rattled off a series of instructions.

"Stoick wants us to help herd the animals into the Great Hall. Snotlout and the Twins will take the west side of the island. Fishlegs and I will take the east." Her friends stopped their conversations and looked up at her.

"We need to get moving. That storm's going to hit before nightfall."

She was halfway turned back towards Stormfly before Fishlegs interrupted, "Is that a good idea, Astrid? Normally we..."

"Fishlegs!" she snapped, rounding on him. "How many times have we been over this? Who's in charge of the Dragon Academy when Hiccup's not present?"

"You are," he replied meekly.

"Exactly," she responded tersely, "and since Hiccup's flown off to Odin-knows-where, I'm in charge. And I say that you're flying with me." With that, she turned her back on him and scrambled up the wall of the Arena to where Stormfly was waiting.

She knew that she was unnecessarily harsh on Fishlegs. He hadn't done anything wrong. Normally when they split up, she flew with Snotlout, and Fishlegs with the Twins. Despite her resolution to put aside their differences for the good of the village, though, she really didn't want to spend the day with Snotlout. Plus, she knew that every moment that they wasted arguing was a moment longer that Hiccup was alone, possibly stranded somewhere, or worse, hurt.

* * *

Hiccup was woken by the rumble of thunder. For a moment, he didn't remember where he was. He was lying uncomfortably on a rough stone floor. The air was acrid and heavy with a sulphurous stench. He cracked his eyes open and to his confusion was confronted by more blackness. He blinked a few times before realising that he was staring at Toothless' wing membranes. Raising his hand, Hiccup prodded his Night Fury's side. Toothless grunted, and opened his wings, letting in a dim red light.

Hiccup stood, wincing as he stretched his stiff muscles. He and Toothless had spent the night on a small stone ledge within the hollow mountain of Helheim's Gate, more commonly known these days as 'Dragon Island.' While the Berkians were no strangers to the island, the inside of the mountain was still exclusively dragon territory. Hiccup was one of a lucky few who'd ever seen inside the nest, and even he could only count the number of times he'd been there on the fingers of one hand.

Hiccup heard another rumble and looked up. The clouds visible through the crater high above his head were black, and a dense column of rain fell through into the mountain, flashing instantly to steam as it neared the molten rock below. The wind was chaotic. It whistled across the mountaintop, blowing sheets of rain in one direction, and then stopped for a moment, leaving the mountain eerily quiet, then gusted back in the opposite direction, twisting the falling rain into complex knots. Hiccup sighed and sat back down against Toothless' flank. "It looks like we're gonna be here for a while, Bud," he said. "There's no way you're flying out of here in that storm."

Hiccup closed his eyes and rested his head against Toothless's scales. Part of him didn't want to go back to Berk, instead wanting to do what he'd been planning to do three years ago, when he had won the "honour" of killing his first dragon: to take Toothless, fly off in a random direction, and find some distant land where the two of them could live out their lives in peace. That part of him spoke to his adventurous spirit. Ever since they founded the Dragon Academy, he'd been itching to take Toothless out past the edges of his father's old map and see what they could find out there.

However, another part of his mind reminded him of everything that had changed over the last three years. He was no longer the village nuisance; he'd earned the respect of his tribe, the love of his father, and even Astrid's friendship. As much as it pained him to admit it, even if Astrid didn't return his feelings, she was still a friend that he cared for, and running away would undoubtedly hurt her.

Sighing, Hiccup shifted to a more comfortable position against Toothless' side, pulled out his notepad and began to sketch the inside of the dragons' nest, trying to lose his thoughts amongst the vast whiteness of the page, and his stark black pencil strokes.

* * *

Stormfly lurched violently to one side as the wind buffeted against her, nearly throwing Astrid from her back. "Easy there, girl," Astrid said, resting a hand reassuringly on the Nadder's neck. With her other hand, she shielded her eyes from the driving rain as the Twins herded the last group of the Island's sheep into the Great Hall.

"That's the last of them, Astrid!" Stoick called from his position, holding open the great doors, his powerful voice ringing out clearly over the noise of the storm.

Stormfly dropped down to the ground just before the Great Hall's threshold. She paused for a moment, and Astrid looked back at the raging tempest. Hiccup was out there somewhere.

"Astrid!" Stoick intruded on her thoughts. "Hurry up and get inside! I need to get these doors shut now!"

"No!" Astrid replied, straining to make herself heard over the storm. "I need to go find Hiccup!"

"I don't have time for this Astrid. Get inside, now!" Stoick ordered. "It's too dangerous out here to go looking for Hiccup."

"No!" Astrid repeated. "Hiccup would do it for any of us in a heartbeat!"

Stoick hesitated a moment. "Fine," he growled. "Go look for him if you must. But I'm not opening these doors again until the storm passes."

"I understand."

Stoick locked gazes with her. "Good luck out there. Gods be with you."

With that, he was gone. He slipped inside the Great Hall, and the doors closed with a solid thud. Astrid briefly wondered what she was even going to say to Hiccup if she found him, and how he would even respond to her presence, knowing that he ran away to avoid her. She shook her head. She'd cross that bridge when she gets to it. First she needed to find Hiccup.

"Come on Stormfly, Let's go find Toothless," she instructed, leaning down to pat the Nadder's flank.

Stormfly growled an affirmative and leapt back into the air, heading for the mountains. Astrid knew that it was a long shot. The Meadow was too exposed for Hiccup to be sheltering from the storm there, but she'd crisscrossed the rest of the island herding the animals and seen no sign of him. In fact, the whole island had been strangely quiet that day. Most of the usual dragon roosts around Berk were completely abandoned.

Lightning crashed overhead, and Stormfly instinctively flinched, jerking to the left, towards the western coast of the island. Astrid started to correct Stormfly's path, then stopped suddenly.

"That's it!" she exclaimed. "Stormfly, you're a genius!" Toothless, like all dragons, would have been able to sense the storm coming the previous night, and his natural instinct would have been to fly back to his nest to take shelter.

"Change of plans girl," she said, crouching low against Stormfly's neck. "We're heading to Dragon Island."

Astrid knew that on a clear day, it was possible to make out the peak of Helheim's Gate from the shores of Berk. Today, though, visibility was barely more than twenty feet. She and Stormfly flew low over the ocean to avoid getting lost in the clouds. However that meant that they had to contend with the spray being thrown up from the crashing waves, as well as the driving rain. The wind was brutal. Stormfly was constantly being buffeted from side to side. If that wasn't enough, occasionally they'd get caught in a downdraft and suddenly drop twenty or thirty feet before Stormfly recovered.

Astrid felt a surge of pride for her dragon. Despite Thor's best efforts to halt their progress, Stormfly doggedly pushed on through it all, never once trying to turn tail and head back to the shelter of Berk. Nevertheless, Astrid could tell that she was tiring. Every time they got hit by a downdraft it took her a little longer to get back up to altitude, and gradually, her wing-strokes slowed and her breathing became more and more ragged.

By the time the shores of Dragon Island came into view, her wing beats had slowed by half, and they were skimming over the surface of the ocean, barely clearing the crests of the waves. Getting hit by another downdraft at this point would almost certainly send them crashing into the icy waters below.

Astrid was so focused on the island ahead of them that she didn't notice the danger they were flying into before it was too late. The air around them was still for an instant. Then Stormfly lurched to one side as they were suddenly caught in a powerful updraft. Stormfly battled furiously to escape, but her exhausted muscles couldn't muster enough strength to free them from the rising column of air. She let out a roar of frustration at her helplessness.

* * *

Hiccup closed his eyes, resting his head against Toothless' flank as he listened to the sounds of the storm raging outside. He imagined what the inhabitants of Berk were doing at this moment, crowding around the fires in the Great Hall as the storm battered against the thick oak doors.

A crack of thunder rang out, reverberating around the inside of the hollow mountain. Hiccup felt Toothless flinch slightly, his tail unconsciously coiling around Hiccup. Thor's hammer sounded again. Toothless whined and swung his head around, nuzzling into his Rider's lap. Hiccup wordlessly stroked his friend's neck, offering what little comfort he could. All dragons had an innate fear of storms, and even 'the unholy offspring of lightning and death' was no exception.

Toothless yanked his head out of Hiccup's hands. Suddenly alert, he tilted his head from side to side, searching for something.

"What is it, bud?" Hiccup whispered, quickly getting to his feet. "What do you hear?"

Seconds later, Hiccup got his answer: the unmistakable cry of a Nadder in distress. No wild dragon would be foolish enough to fly in this storm. That sound meant only one thing, and only one person. Hiccup quickly clambered onto Toothless' back, locking his false leg into place. "Storm or no storm, Bud, we've got to help them."

Toothless responded immediately, leaping into the air, heading up towards the peak of the mountain.

The wind nearly tore Hiccup from the saddle as they rose above the rim of the crater. Almost instantly the rain soaked through his clothes. Toothless had to dig his claws into the crumbling rock at the crater's edge to stay grounded as the wind viciously tugged at his wings. Hiccup squinted through the torrential downpour, desperately trying to find Astrid and Stormfly in the swirling clouds. Stormfly cried out again, and at last Hiccup found them. Stormfly was caught in a nasty wind shear, eyes wide with fear. She frantically beat her wings trying to escape, but it was to no avail. On her back, Astrid clung on for dear life.

"Astrid!" Hiccup shouted, but the storm swept his voice away.

"Come on Bud, we've got to get to them!" He crouched low against Toothless' neck.

Toothless roared their presence to Astrid and Stormfly and pushed off from the rim of the crater. As soon as Toothless' claws left the rock, the wind tried to send them spiralling into the mountainside. It took every iota of skill and experience Hiccup had built up over three years of flying Toothless to hold them on course as they battled towards Stormfly.

"Astrid!" Hiccup called again.

This time she heard. "Hiccup!" she responded in a panicked shout. "What are you doing!? You'll get yourself killed!"

"Follow us!" Hiccup shouted back, trying to keep his voice calm, despite the raging storm. "We'll lead you out!"

He braced himself against Toothless' neck as they plunged into the wind shear. The storm buffeted them from side to side as the shear took hold, violently yanking them upwards. He looked over his shoulder at Astrid and Stormfly.

"We're going to get out of this," he told them. "Just stay on Toothless' tail and you'll be fine."

"Now—" Hiccup was cut off an almighty gust of wind knocked Toothless to one side and tore a terrified scream from Astrid's throat.

Toothless quickly righted himself, and dragon and rider looked on in horror at the scene before them. The gust had knocked Stormfly clear of the updraft, but in the process, had torn Astrid from the saddle. Reacting quickly, Stormfly folded her wings and dived after her rider.

The next few moments were a blur to Hiccup. Simultaneously he heard a deafening boom of thunder and felt an immense heat at his back. Then, a heartbeat later, his world span as Toothless tumbled out of the sky. A moment's glance behind him confirmed what he already knew. A bolt of lightning had incinerated much of the replacement tail fin. Another gust of wind impacted them, and Hiccup was ripped from the saddle. An instant later he jerked to a stop as his safety line held for a moment, then snapped. Toothless roared in dismay as he spiralled away from his rider. Hiccup spread his arms and legs to slow his descent, and focused on his Night Fury, ignoring the raging seas rapidly rushing towards them.

"Toothless!" he cried. "Focus on me! You can do this!"

Precious seconds ticked by as Toothless struggled to control his fall. Finally he managed to stabilize. He rolled onto his back, just below Hiccup.

The last thing Hiccup remembered was Toothless' wings closing around him before everything went black.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_Allow me to begin by thanking everyone who's left a review of this story, I tend not to reply to my reviews, but know that I do read every single one of them. On the subject of reviews, there's something that's been bugging me for a while that I need to get off my chest: Reviews that are little more than "plz update". _

_I appreciate that you're invested in my story, and you're eagerly anticipating the next chapter, but please try and understand things from my perspective. I write fanfiction as a hobby in my spare time, because I'm a fan of the source material and because I enjoy the storytelling process. As much as I'd like to be able to spend all day working on fanfiction for you, I do have real life obligations that will take priority over my writing, and that sometimes, after a long day I'm just too tired to write well, and would rather just spend the evening playing video games. For what it's worth, please know that no matter how long it takes, I haven't given up on this story, if for whatever reason I decide to give up on this story, I will let you guys know about it. As I said earlier, I am grateful that you find my storytelling so engaging that you feel the need to immediately demand the next chapter, but please take a moment to consider the person on the other side of the screen before submitting that review._

_*Phew* Rant over. Anyway, shall we move on to happier topics? _

_Before you ask, yes I've seen How To Train Your Dragon 2, I thought it was great, not perfect (I mean, Astrid and the rest of the gang from the 1__st__ movie really don't do all that much) but still great, and a worthy sequel to the original._

_I guess I should talk about this chapter at some point? After two chapters from Hiccup's POV we finally get introduced to Astrid's POV. From this point on we'll be seeing roughly half of the story from each character's perspectives. After the reactions that the 'shock' ending of the previous chapter got, I guess I should talk about the flashback scene near the start. I'd say about 50% of the time that I spent on this chapter was spent on writing and going over that scene. I'm still not entirely happy with it, but they say art is never done, and I hope the scene manages to get across Astrid's motivations for her actions well enough. (I'm sure I'll be hearing about it in the reviews if it doesn't: P)_

_Anyway, I guess I should draw this long author's notes section to a close. As always, whatever you thought of the story, please leave a review, and I'll see you in the next chapter!_

_~Superbun_

_x_


	4. Chapter 4: Lost

_As always, Many thanks to my beta reader, Sailorstar165! _

**Chapter 4: Lost**

Hiccup coughed and spluttered, doubling over as he expelled the last of the foul-tasting seawater from his lungs. Clearing his throat a final time, he straightened up, wincing as his battered body protested. He felt like he'd picked a fight with a Monstrous Nightmare, but as far as he could tell, nothing was broken. Scrambling up a nearby dune, Hiccup surveyed his surroundings. He and Toothless had washed up on a rough sandy beach that extended as far as he could see to his left and right. In front of him, an undulating field of sand dunes stretched out for at least a mile, to the edge of a forest he could just make out in the distance. Behind him was only the open ocean.

Hiccup sighed as Toothless ambled up beside him, and sat down with a huff. "Well bud, unless you have any idea where we are, I think we're lost."

Toothless grunted dejectedly.

Hiccup stroked the Night Fury's neck reassuringly. "Don't worry buddy, we'll get back home. I'll think of something." He pulled his attention away from the landscape, and focused on his dragon. For a long moment he stared wordlessly into a large, emerald eye.

"Are you okay bud?" he asked. "That fall was pretty hard."

Toothless whined and swung his tail in front of Hiccup.

Hiccup crouched and examined the remains of the replacement tail fin. As he expected, a few blackened scraps of cloth were all that remained of the red canvas that had made up the majority of the fin. That wasn't too much of a concern to him, as Toothless carried replacement canvas. More troubling, however, were the metal rods that gave the tail strength and rigidity; they were bent and twisted into an ugly tangle of blackened steel. Even if he fitted the replacement fabric, there was no way that Toothless was going to be able to fly with the tail in its current state. Standing, Hiccup quickly examined the rest of Toothless' flight gear and thanked the gods that the delicate control systems around the saddle were undamaged.

Suddenly, a high-pitched keening shattered the relative tranquillity of the beach. _Stormfly!_

Hiccup's feet skidded on the loose sand as he spun around and sprinted towards the source of the sound. Stormfly had washed up only a short distance away, initially concealed from view by a dip in the land. She was crouched protectively over a motionless blue lump. As Hiccup watched she raised her head and let out another mournful keen.

_No! Please don't be..._

Hiccup slid to a stop beside Stormfly and dropped to his knees. Astrid was lying face-down in the sand, her skin frightfully pale. Hiccup gingerly rolled her over and positioned his ear just above her lips. Panic gripped at his chest when he realised she wasn't breathing. He clasped his hands together and began rapidly compressing Astrid's chest, as he had seen his father do four years ago, when a trade ship capsized in a storm off the coast of Berk. He counted out thirty compressions, then shifted his position, holding her nose in one hand and her chin in the other. Taking a deep breath, Hiccup fitted his lips to hers and forced the air into her lungs. He felt his face heat up at the intimacy of the act, but ignored it. He pushed another breath into her, then returned to compressing her chest. He winced as he felt a rib snap under the pressure. _Come on, come on..._ he prayed. He counted thirty more compressions and another breath into her lungs before, at last, he felt her weakly cough against his lips. Hiccup gently rolled her over and held her head as she coughed up a small puddle of seawater.

"Hiccup?" Astrid croaked feebly

Hiccup rolled her back so she was looking up at him.

"I'm here Astrid."

Astrid tried to sit up, only to gasp in pain and fall back, clutching her side.

"Be careful. I... well, you've cracked a rib or two," Hiccup said, standing and offering her a hand. She refused the offered hand and instead opted to tightly grip Stormfly's head and allow the Nadder to pull her to her feet.

She grunted in pain and swayed on her feet for a moment, before regaining her balance, leaning heavily on the dragon for support.

"Are you okay?" Hiccup asked, concerned.

"I'll live," she responded curtly. "Now, do you have any idea where in Hel's name we are?"

Hiccup shook his head, he desperately wanted to ask Astrid about what happened at the ceremony but knew now was not the time.

"Right, first priority: we need to get off this beach and find shelter." Astrid spoke quickly and authoritatively.

Hiccup nodded in agreement; this was basic survival skills. At the moment the weather was fine—the sun shining high overhead in a clear blue sky—but they both knew how quickly the weather could turn in the Barbaric Archipelago.

Hiccup grabbed Astrid's arm as she turned to mount Stormfly, "Wait!" he exclaimed. "Toothless' tail was damaged in the crash, he can't fly."

Astrid swore. "Then we walk." With that, she turned and set off at a brisk pace across the sand dunes towards the forest, with Stormfly following close behind.

Toothless looked from Astrid to Hiccup, letting out a confused grumble. Hiccup turned to his Night Fury and shrugged. "I don't know bud, I just don't know..."

Hiccup sighed and jogged to catch up with Astrid.

A long silence stretched out between them as they walked. The shifting sand underfoot made progress difficult for both of them. However things were worse for Hiccup, as with every step his false leg dug into the sand. If Astrid was aware of his difficulties, she didn't show it. Despite the pain she must have felt from her broken ribs, she set a relentless pace across the dunes. After several more minutes of just the sound of their footsteps in the sand, Hiccup finally broke the silence.

"Astrid... " he began.

"What?" she asked, irritably.

Hiccup mustered his courage. "About what happened at the ceremony..."

Astrid cut him off. "I don't want to talk about it."

Hiccup stepped in front of Astrid, blocking her path. "Please Astrid," he begged. "I won't get angry at you, I promise. Just please... talk to me."

"I said I don't want to talk about it."

Hiccup wordlessly held his ground.

"Please," her voice cracked, and Hiccup saw a flicker of emotion cross her face, "let's not do this now."

Hiccup wordlessly stood aside and let her pass. If he knew anything about Astrid Hofferson for certain, it was that no force on earth could make her do something against her will. Sighing to himself, he trudged after her in silence.

The sun had passed its zenith by the time they reached the edge of the forest. The hot sun on their backs combined with the effort of crossing the dunes had quickly dried their soaked clothes, leaving them encrusted with salty residue.

Up close, Hiccup realised this forest was different from ones he was familiar with. Rather than the towering pines he was used to, the trees here were broad, with large flat leaves. Enough light filtered down through the canopy that patches of lush grass and wildflowers grew in the spaces between the trees. Astrid knelt down on one knee to study a set of prints in the dirt. Hiccup examined them over her shoulder.

The prints reminded him of Elk footprints that he'd seen occasionally on Berk, albeit much smaller and narrower.

"Well, at least we won't starve," he remarked.

Astrid grunted in response and looked up at the sky. "We'd better split up if we're going to find somewhere to shelter before nightfall." She stood, hissing in pain and clutching at her side.

Hiccup instinctively took a step forwards and reached out to help her, then stopped himself.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "You should let me take a look at those ribs."

"We're Vikings, Hiccup," she replied. "I can put up with some broken ribs for a few hours."

With that, she turned and stalked off into the forest, snapping her fingers for Stormfly to follow.

Hiccup let out a long sigh and turned to where Toothless was rolling blissfully in the lush grass in stark contrast to his inner turmoil. _Will our friendship ever be the same again?_ He asked himself. Hiccup shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Come on bud," he said to Toothless and trotted off into the forest in the opposite direction to Astrid.

Hiccup tried to put thoughts of Astrid out of his head for the moment and enjoy his surroundings. Growing up as a social outcast on Berk, he'd spent many long hours walking in the woods behind his home and had developed a deep appreciation for the beauty of the wild.

His thoughts were suddenly brought back to the present when he almost tripped over a small stream that gurgled through the forest. The stream looped between the trees to his left and across the dunes to his right, before joining the sea. Hiccup knelt and took a long drink from the stream.

The water was cool and clear. Refreshed, he stood, and with no better idea for where to look, he decided to follow the stream further inland. Toothless roamed ahead of Hiccup like an excitable puppy, sniffing around the bases of trees and sticking his nose into bushes and clumps of long grass. More than once, he jerked his head back in surprise as he disturbed a nest of birds or small rodents. Despite himself, Hiccup found himself smiling at Toothless' exuberance.

A short while later, Hiccup found his path blocked by a rock wall that rose suddenly from the forest floor. The rugged cliff face was easily a hundred feet tall and slightly concave. A narrow waterfall tumbled from the top of the cliff. The water plummeted to the forest floor below, where it formed a small but deep pool, before flowing into the stream Hiccup had followed. Behind the pool, an overhang from the cliff formed a sheltered area, just large enough to protect two dragons and riders from the elements. The whole scene reminded Hiccup of the cove back on Berk where he'd forged his forbidden friendship with Toothless. He took a deep breath and felt himself relax.

"If you'd like to do the honours, Toothless."

Toothless roared happily and launched a fireball into the air. A second later, an explosion shook the canopy as the projectile detonated. Satisfied that Astrid and Stormfly knew where to find them, Hiccup left Toothless splashing around in the pool, and set off to gather wood for a fire.

Stormfly was coming in to land by the pool when Hiccup emerged from the forest, carrying an armful of firewood. He watched as Astrid heavily dropped to the ground, clutching at her side. She looked up as Hiccup approached.

"Good idea," she said, noticing the bundle in Hiccup's arms. "I'll help."

Hiccup dropped the bundle at her feet. "No you won't," he grunted. "You've been walking around all day with broken ribs. You need to rest."

Astrid's eyes flashed dangerously. Hiccup sighed inwardly. This was the Astrid that he fell in love with: indomitable, and fiercely independent. He cut her off before she could object.

"No. We could be stuck here for several weeks, so I don't want you making your injury worse because you were too stubborn to listen." Turning to Toothless he added, "Make sure she doesn't move."

The sun was starting to set by the time Hiccup returned with a second load of firewood, and already the air temperature was dropping. Astrid had started a small fire on the far side of the pool, just in front of the overhang. She was sat on a boulder nearby, staring into the flames and poking the fire with a twig. Stormfly and Toothless lounged on either side of her.

Hiccup dropped the firewood nearby, and headed over to Toothless. A small leather pouch was attached to the saddle. He reached into this and retrieved his small stash of emergency items. Hiccup spread the replacement canvas for Toothless' tail out on the ground and set the other items on top of it. There was a short dagger in a leather sheath, a small collection of useful herbs, including a tuft of dried Dragonnip, and the item Hiccup was looking for, a tightly-wound roll of cloth. He picked up the cloth and turned back to Astrid.

"Come on, let's have a look at those ribs," he said, holding up the roll.

Astrid threw the twig into the fire and stood up, turning to face Hiccup.

Hiccup took a step towards her and coughed awkwardly, feeling his cheeks redden. "Lift up your ... uh ... shirt."

Astrid's eyes bored into him for a long moment. "Let's get this over with," she sighed. She grabbed the bottom of her vest and pulled it up, exposing her toned stomach to the air. Hiccup tried to ignore the exposed skin and instead focus on the blotchy purple bruise that ran down her left side. The skin at the centre of the bruise was broken, where the sharp end of the bone had pierced her chest from the inside. A small trickle of blood ran down her side from the wound. _Ouch_, he thought. He cautiously extended his hand and gently touched the bruise. Astrid flinched and hissed in pain.

Hiccup was by no means an expert in the healers' arts, but he'd spent a few afternoons with Gothi and had picked up some of the basics. He bound Astrid's injury as best he could, then took a step back, examining his handiwork.

"There," he said. "With any luck, that will stop the bone from moving too much, and help it set straight."

Astrid gently lowered her vest over the bandage. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Don't be so hasty," Hiccup replied dryly. "Wait and see if it heals first, then thank me"

"Not just for my ribs," she continued. "In the storm, you and Toothless risked your lives to help me and Stormfly, and this morning, you saved my life." She hesitated, then dropped her voice until it was barely audible. "I'm in your debt, Hiccup."

Hiccup looked at Astrid carefully. She'd been acting strangely all day. First she gave him the stonewall treatment, then she said she owed him her life? _The crash must have really shaken her_, Hiccup thought. They'd saved each other's lives countless times in the last three years, and neither of them had given it a second thought before now.

Hiccup waved his hand dismissively, and sat down on another boulder. "It was nothing."

Astrid said nothing, and sat down across the fire from him.

"So what's our next move from here?" Hiccup asked, eager to keep the conversation going.

Astrid paused to consider her response, and for a moment Hiccup feared she wouldn't answer. "Food is our next priority," she replied eventually. "I saw a few more sets of tracks in the forest, and I think some of the plants around here are edible. I'll head out at first light tomorrow and see what I can find."

"Toothless and Stormfly could catch fish for us," Hiccup suggested.

"Unless we can find a source of fish nearby, I'd rather not have them so far away. Who knows what kind of wild animals or dragons could live here?" Astrid glanced at Toothless. "Besides, some of us aren't as accustomed to the taste of dragon saliva as you are."

Hiccup chuckled. "Point taken. And after that?"

She hesitated for a moment. "I don't know," she replied eventually. "The only thing that I can think of is to start exploring this island and hope we see some landmark that lets us know how to get back to Berk, but..." she trailed off, leaving the unspoken question hanging in the air: _What if they didn't find anything?_

Hiccup shrugged. "It's as good a plan as any I can come up with."

Astrid gave Toothless a long glance. "What about his tail?" she asked, gesturing to the Night Fury. "Can you fix it?"

Hiccup was silent for almost a full minute, considering. The damage to the tail was extensive, but...

"Yes," he replied. "It won't stand up to any hard manoeuvring, but I think I can rig something that will work."

"Then it's a plan," Astrid said. "Tomorrow, you fix Toothless' tail, and I'll forage for supplies. Then, the day after tomorrow, we start looking for a way home."

Hiccup glanced up at the sky. While they had been talking, the sun had slipped below the horizon and the moon and stars had emerged. "We'd better get some rest if we're going to be up at first light," he said, standing.

He wandered over to the area under the overhang and eyed the rocky ground distastefully. "It's not going to be comfortable," he muttered to himself, sweeping an area clear of stones, "but I guess I'd better get used to it."

Hiccup started as Toothless brushed past him without warning. Toothless circled a few times in the area Hiccup had cleared, before curling up and resting his head on his forelegs. He raised a wing and looked up at Hiccup expectantly.

"Fine," Hiccup replied, walking over to him, "but people are going to start saying things about us if we keep this up."

He stepped over Toothless' tail and lay down against his side. Toothless curled slightly more tightly around Hiccup, then, making a contented noise in his chest, draped a wing over him, enclosing Hiccup in a living tent.

For a long time, Hiccup simply lay there, marvelling at the play of the firelight through Toothless' wing membrane.

Finally alone with his thoughts, his mind drifted to thoughts of Astrid, and the events of the spring equinox. To his surprise, he found that the feelings of betrayal that he'd felt at the ceremony had disappeared. Thinking about Astrid and Snotlout being together still hurt, but the anger was gone.

_Having a brush with death really does give you a new perspective on life_, he thought.

Hiccup sighed and shifted to a more comfortable position against Toothless. Unbidden, memories of happy moments spent with Astrid from the last three years drifted through his mind. _I don't want to lose that_, Hiccup thought, _but what am I willing to sacrifice to keep it?_

Hiccup's feelings about Astrid were a tangled mess, but there was one thing he knew for certain. The bond of trust and friendship that they shared was one of the most cherished things in his life, second only to his relationship with Toothless. His attraction to her was strong, but deep inside he knew that it wasn't worth risking their friendship on an attempt to court her, when it was apparent that her feelings lay elsewhere. Hiccup sighed deeply; he knew that he was young, and that first loves often didn't end in a long-lasting relationship, but that did nothing to calm the tempest of emotions roiling in his chest.

He was suddenly jolted from his thoughts by a low growl next to his ear. Hiccup looked over at Toothless' head, just beside his own. In the dim light that filtered through his wing membranes, Hiccup could just make out Toothless' eyes darting back and forth under their lids, and his front paws twitching beneath his head.

_He must be dreaming_, Hiccup thought with a smile.

Hiccup yawned and felt the exhaustion of the day hit him full force. Resting his head against his Night Fury's side, he closed his eyes and allowed unconsciousness to claim him.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_Friendly Greetings! I'm back again with another chapter, a bit of a slower chapter after the big plot points in the last two, although hopefully still interesting. Now that our 'heroes' have finally arrived in this new land, the rate of earth-shattering plot twits will slow down, as we start investigating the relationship between our two main characters (Which isn't to say that I don't still have a few tricks up my sleeve :P)._

_Thank you to all of you who responded to my rant in the notes on the last chapter. I know that most of you understand that my fanfic is only a hobby, and I apologize for inflicting that rant on all of you. For those of you who still can't wait for the next chapter, I have about a month off without school or work at the moment, so, hopefully I'll be able to get the next chapter written relatively quickly._

_Finally, thank you to all those of you who have left reviews already, and, as always, whatever you thought of the story, please leave a review!_

_~ Superbun_

_X _


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